Chapter 19: Wizardry
Chapter 19: Wizardry
Karl concealed the truth. He did lose consciousness, but only briefly. Before the flames consumed everything, he regained consciousness, and upon examining Miles' body, he discovered this gem ring. As a noble, he had the privilege of not being searched, so he kept it hidden on his person, unnoticed.
However, this could not escape the senses of a high-level wizard apprentice.
"Enchanted artifact," Adolph said, taking the ring and gently caressing the gemstone. A look of regret flashed in his eyes, "It's imbued with a zero-circle spell, Succubus Wail, capable of intimidating those below knight-level and even affecting knights to some extent. Unfortunately, it's damaged and may not last for many uses."
Compared to when Karl first acquired it, the azure gemstone had faded significantly, and there were several cracks on its surface.
Using enchanted artifacts to cast spells consumes durability.
"I can offer two magic stones for this enchanted item, or..." Adolph began, "I can exchange it for a zero-circle spell."
"I choose the spell," Karl replied without hesitation.
"A wise choice," Adolph nodded, bringing out a piece of parchment and pointing to it, "You can choose one from these."
Karl looked down at the parchment.
There were six spells listed: Arcane Missile, Lesser Mage Hand, Lesser Force Field, Poisoning, Daze, and a Paralysis spell.
Only the names of the spells were written.
"Master," Karl frowned, "Can you introduce these spells to me?"
With just the names, he could only guess the nature and difficulty of the spells based on his instincts, but he lacked specific knowledge about their power and intricacies.
Moreover, some spells were challenging to decipher from their names alone.
"Karl," Adolph shook his head gently, "This is your first lesson. In the world of wizards, all knowledge comes with a price."
"Including spell introductions," Karl added.
Clearly, Adolph had no intention of providing this information for free.
"Well..." Karl furrowed his brows, pondering for a moment before speaking, "When I fought Miles, he was protected by an invisible force. I want to learn that spell."
During their encounter, Miles had cast three spells. One created a sharp aura around his sword, effortlessly slicing through flesh. The second was an unseen force field that could distort attacks and influence others. The third was a mental attack channeled through an enchanted weapon.
Among the three, Karl desired to master the second spell the most, as it could save his life in dangerous situations, and survival was paramount.
"You're quite perceptive," Adolph praised Karl's insight, "That spell is called Lesser Force Field, and it's the most cost-effective among these six zero-circle spells. You can also learn corresponding advanced spells later."
"Tim!"
"Master," Tim stepped forward.
"Take him to get the spellbooks," Adolph instructed, "Witnessed by the Nine-Circle Tower, any spell learned from me cannot be taught to others without my permission until my life's end."
The latter part was addressed to Karl.
Although he didn't mention the consequences of teaching spells to others without permission, it was clear that it wouldn't be pleasant.
"Yes, Master," they both replied.
"Once you become familiar with it, you'll realize that the master is quite reasonable," Tim said as they left the hall, leading the way, "Don't think he's too strict."
"No," Karl shook his head, "I think this is fine."
If a stranger were overly friendly, he would suspect their motives.
Adolph's transactional approach left no room for criticism.
"Good," Tim nodded, stopping in front of a wall with a painting. The painting depicted a lavishly dressed, dignified woman.
"Gina," he addressed the portrait, "Please open the door."
"Tim, it's been a while," the woman in the painting spoke, her eyes moving like a living person, and she waved at Karl, "Young man, it's been ages since I've seen you!"
"Th-this... th-this..." Karl's eyes widened, stammering, "The painting is talking?"
"You're quite naive." The woman in the painting rolled her eyes. "I am a Magical Servant, created by a true Wizard's spell. I'm Master Adolph's family heirloom, and it seems you, young one, have just been introduced to the world of Wizards."
"Yes."
Tim nodded, "Karl is a new student of the Master. I'm here to get some books for him."
"Alright!"
The woman in the painting shrugged and waved her hand, causing the wall to move aside, revealing a luxurious study that rivaled a library.
Karl, witnessing this scene for the first time, stood dumbfounded, moving forward like a puppet.
"Comprehensive Guide to Force Field Theory, Principles of Arcane Magic, Wizard Code, and Deep Sea Meditation," Tim pulled out books from the shelves, stacking them in Karl's hands. "Wizards pursue knowledge and truth. Every Wizard has their own study, and you will have one too."
"Hmm!"
Karl grunted, looking at the thick books comparable to dictionaries. "I won't have to learn all of these, right?"
"You don't have to master everything, but you should at least be aware of them," Tim said seriously. "Whether it's meditation techniques or spells, there's no room for carelessness. Otherwise, you might not just endanger yourself."
"Don't worry about the trouble. You can learn a mnemonic technique to aid your studies and save time. But remember, understanding is different from memorization; there's a big difference between the two."
"Then..." Karl frowned. "How long does it usually take to learn a spell?"
"That varies from person to person." Tim paused, leaning on his staff. "Some can learn a zero-circle spell in a few months, while others take years, and some never master it at all."
"For example, I..."
"My first spell, Arcane Missile, took me half a year. The second one, with experience, was much faster."
Karl was stunned.
He never imagined it would take so long. Learning spells seemed far more complex than sword training.
"Don't rush into spell learning," Tim advised. "Start with meditation. Once you grasp the basics of meditation and stabilize your mental power, you'll be qualified to learn spells."
"Let's go!"
"Brother Tim..." Karl hurried to catch up. "How long does it take to grasp the basics of meditation?"
"The time required depends on your talent level," Tim replied, unlike Master Adolph, who always talked about money. Or perhaps this was common knowledge among Wizard apprentices. "First-level talent can grasp it within half a month, second-level talent needs at least two to three months. I'm a third-level talent, and it took me a year to master the basics of meditation."
Karl's expression turned sour.
Although Tim didn't mention the time required for fourth-level talent, it was clear it would take longer than third-level.
"Don't worry," Tim reassured him, seeing his change in expression. "I was very young when I started meditation, still naive and inexperienced. Adults have stronger comprehension abilities, so the time required should be significantly reduced."
"Maybe..."
"You might master meditation in a few months."
"And talent only matters in the Wizard Apprentice Realm. Once you become a full Wizard, it's irrelevant."
Though he said this to comfort Karl, he didn't truly believe Karl had the potential to become a full Wizard.
Fourth-level talent...
Slightly better than the barely-qualifying fifth-level talent, but the potential was undeniably low.
Karl remained silent.
On his way back, he held the stack of books, his mind in turmoil, filled with various thoughts.
The mysterious Wizard's Tome!
The enigmatic Wizards!
The magical spells!
The talking portrait!
It was as if he had stepped into a wondrous world, witnessing scenes he had never encountered before.
"Regardless, I have the talent to become a Wizard, more than many others. I'll give meditation a try first."
Karl was not discouraged.
Although his talent wasn't exceptional, he had the Golden Touch.
(End of Chapter)```
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